The division was originally created in
February 1937, as the 1st Asturian Division. It was incorporated into the III Asturian Army Corps. On
August 6, the unit was restructured into the
189th,
190th and
191st mixed brigades and renamed the "59th Division". It became attached to the
XVII Army Corps. It did not intervene in the
Battle of Santander, so it was practically intact at the beginning of the
Asturias Offensive. By then the 59th Division covered the front that ran from the sea to the mountains, in the
Oviedo sector. During the Asturias campaign it did not have a relevant role, remaining in its positions without intervening in relevant military operations. At the end of
October 1937 it managed to retire to
Gijón, where it dissolved itself. == Command ==